Date of Observation: 12/31/2021
Name: Zach Guy
Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: Traveled mostly on easterly aspects below 10,000 ft. Two short tours, one near Brush Creek TH and one near Red Mountain.
Observed avalanche activity: No
Avalanches: Poor visibility and I did not travel near avalanche terrain.
Weather: Moderate snowfall most of the day. Snowfall rates increased to heavy by mid-afternoon. Moderate gusts in exposed locations.
Snowpack: Targeted persistent slab sensitivity in the shallow part of our forecast area. I did not experience any signs of instability under foot (collapses or cracking). Stability tests produced a mix of propagating and non-propagating results below slabs 3 to 5 feet thick. The 12/6 layer (only on northerly aspects here) looks like garbage still (3-4mm in size, fist hard),with very little signs of strengthening. It consistently showed propagating results in ECTs and PSTs. The 12/23 layer (on all aspects that we covered, SE, E, NE, and N) showed a mix of propagating and non-propagating results. This layer looks like it is rounding, hardening, and will heal fairly quickly once the loading ends. See photos and profiles for details.
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- Snow profile, N aspect Red Mtn
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- Snow profile, E aspect Mt. CB
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- Tons of snow this week, poor structure on northerly aspect where the 12/6 depth hoar exists.
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- A better looking structure on an east aspect where the 12/6 layer doesn’t exist. The 12/23 layers will recover fairly quickly from this loading event.
